


Something New

by breadnbutter2



Category: SubZero (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Breakup, F/M, Grief, Oral Sex, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:35:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23999116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breadnbutter2/pseuds/breadnbutter2
Summary: What’s that saying again? One door closes and another one opens? Clove is sure that also applies to being dumped by her long-distance boyfriend while in lockdown living with another man- who also so happens to be just her type. Right?CW: COVID!Universe (aka reality), grief (breakup)
Relationships: Clove/Aaron (SubZero), Clove/Kyro (SubZero)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 117





	Something New

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all. Some of you may be reading this because you follow The Marriage Contract- sorry this is not an update for that! Going through a breakup and feeling a lot of grief, so this is my way of channeling it. Also, I really need to practice writing ~sexier~ content lol

**Aaron:** I’m so sorry Clove. 

**Clove:** ...I can’t talk to you right now.

Clove stares at her screen blankly, waiting for the “...” bubbles to show typing, but there aren't any. What did she expect, after all? She was the one asking for space.

The end of a relationship never came with a guide book, but she was pretty sure that most dumpers gave dumpees space. It’s not like he could read her mind and know that actually, she would really not like space, she would like to  _ talk _ goddammit- Okay, maybe she’s being a tad dramatic, but-

She didn’t think things would end like this. Not when everything in the whole world seems to be falling apart around her. If anything, Aaron was always the sure one, keeping her rooted to the ground through each big change in her life. From friendship to romance to being her partner in crime, Clove loves him endlessly and it  _ hurts _ to know that this is an ending. 

But… Clove admits to herself wryly, she did see it coming. Ever since she moved for graduate school, and Aaron didn’t follow her, the relationship had felt strained. Long distance, right? Clove didn’t think it would be such a big deal, but Aaron had been hesitant from the start and he especially didn’t like it when her new roommate ended up being a single man studying the same  _ freaking _ thing as her. 

_ Kyro _ . Clove lets herself go there, finally, without guilt. Ever since she moved in six months ago, she’s been grateful that their hectic schedules (juggling grad school and work is no joke!) kept her from interacting with him too frequently. She laughs to herself softly, remembering the first time they met.

*

*

*

“Yes, babe, I made it. I’m about to order dinner before I start unpacking-” Clove stops talking when she realizes the door to her new apartment is unlocked.  _ What? _ She didn’t think that her roommate was home yet… although come to think of it, she hadn’t really heard from him since they had confirmed. Getting into school was so last-minute that finding a place was a crapshoot, and after multiple false starts she ended up taking the first one that popped up with semi-decent utilities and a close walk to campus.

“I’m gonna have to call you back, I think someone’s home.” Clove hangs up and pushes the door open curiously to a nearly empty apartment. She wouldn’t have thought anyone was home at all, except she can hear faint music coming from further down the hall. 

Closing the door behind her, she walks toward the music and just as she approaches the closed door-  _ oh that’s the bathroom isn’t it _ \- it swings open to reveal a broad shouldered man with a chiseled chest covered in dragon tattoos. Dripping.

Gulping, Clove takes two steps back and reflexively brings her hands up to cover her face, crying out “I’m so sorry! I just got here, I didn’t know-” only to be cut off by a rich laugh.

“Like what you see?” Clove opens her fingers to peek at this man who has the gall to actually wink at her. 

_ Yes... _ “No! I have a boyfriend!” Clove yells out, the frustration and exhaustion of a long day traveling cross-country turning into active dislike of this- this  _ man _ just dripping everywhere and looking unnecessarily comfortable in this apartment that is supposed to be HER home. 

*

*

*

After that first meeting, Kyro teased her for a straight week until she got him to shut up one morning when she came back from an early run, soaked in sweat and stripped down to just her bra and running shorts. The sexual tension has lived on, making itself known in quiet moments when they hang out on the couch, or make a joke about performative activism at the same time, or run into each other - like, fully run into each other- in their tiny kitchen.

It got to the point where Clove purposefully decreased the amount of time she spent at home because it was just so  _ tempting _ to hang out with Kyro all the time. He appreciated her fiery comebacks and knew all the best takeout places nearby. He was funny, charming, and surprisingly kind given his tough exterior- he was endlessly  _ interesting _ , which was a curious person’s kryptonite. 

But at the end of the day, Clove was always able to ignore those thoughts, those feelings, because she had Aaron. And Aaron… Aaron may not have gotten her blood roaring like Kyro, but he’s her person.  _ Was _ her person. Clove isn’t sure what the future holds now. 

Groaning, Clove collapses face-forward into the soft cushions of her bed.  _ If I was home, I would go out with friends. I would try Tinder. I might go dancing.  _ She mentally lists off all the things she would do to try and move on if she wasn’t stuck in this freaking apartment, working from home for the past six weeks and possibly for the next 8 months at the rate this pandemic is going. 

She misses her morning runs, holding in-person office hours, going swimming at the local YMCA. 

A knock at her door wakes Clove from her reverie, and she grunts in response. This far into living with each other, she knows Aaron will understand that her non-verbal grunt means “yes, come in, but don’t expect me to be a full human.” 

It’s a grunt they’ve become very familiar with, learning to be cooped up together 24/7 for the past six weeks.

Kyro’s face peeks around the door and Clove motions for him to sit beside her on the bed. 

“Was that Aaron?” His voice is unbelievably gentle and it actually makes Clove want to cry. She’s so confused. Grief is bubbling in her chest and she  _ wants _ \- she wants nothing to change, she wants everything to change, she’s so sick of thinking and so sad and so, so tired. 

“...Yeah, that was Aaron. He, uh, he called time. On us.” Clove manages a watery smile before she buries her face back into the pillows, not ready to say anything more.

There’s silence, and then the bed dips under Kyro’s weight as he adjusts himself, moving to rub little circles on her shoulders.  _ It feels good _ , and she hates to admit that but- doesn’t she deserve comfort? Isn’t it only fair? 

The silence stretches on and Clove knows he’s waiting. Kyro is good at waiting for her to speak her mind- something she’s always appreciated about him. 

So quietly she’s not even sure he’ll hear her, Clove whispers, “I tried, Ky.” She can feel her eyes misting over, her body tensing even as he continues to rub circles in her back and make soothing sounds at the back of his throat.

“I know.” So simple.

*

*

*

Kyro pauses, hand about to knock on Clove’s door to let her know popcorn is ready for their movie night when he hears her voice.

“For the last time, Aaron, there is nothing going on between us. If you came and visited for once, you’d be able to see that,” Clove’s words are clipped with anger, and Kyro wonders who the  _ us _ is.

It’s not the first time he’s overheard arguments, but usually they’re about typical long-distance things like scheduling when to call or visit. He’s never heard Clove sound so frustrated or hurt. It makes his heart ache, not that he would ever admit it to her. 

When he first agreed to having her as his new roommate (Kharis was  _ finally _ ready to leave the nest after falling madly in love), he had been skeptical. Living with a woman who is your sister is one thing- but living with a woman he had never met? Not typical. However, her Facebook post made him laugh, and she seemed like a normal, not stalkery person online- and then the first night she arrived just as he was getting out of the bath and the whole thing nearly blew up in his face right then.

Because he had neglected to take in the gorgeous factor. But as she made abundantly clear that first night, she was taken. 

Kyro has, of course, never met the infamous Aaron (and truthfully he isn’t sure he wants to), but having him there in theory makes it easy to enjoy Clove’s company. Instead of worrying about impressing her, Kyro lets himself  _ be.  _ They’re both studying political science, working around the clock to get their degrees, so they don’t get to spend as much time together as Kyro wishes they did. But then, it’s probably for the best that their time together is limited.

Aaron’s existence erases the possibility that they- Clove and Kyro- could ever be something romantic, which opens up the space for Kyro to tell Clove about Kharis’ antics, his mother’s cancer, his older brother’s untimely death as a soldier in Afghanistan. 

More than with any other woman he’s dated, Kyro feels understood by Clove. But as long as she’s with Aaron…

He steps away from the door, walking back to the couch to start movie night on his own. She’ll come when she’s ready.

*

*

*

After she’s sobbed it out for- twenty minutes? An hour? What is time anymore- Clove finally gets out of bed and lets Kyro make her a cup of peppermint tea. She rests on the kitchen countertop, eyes glazing as she processes the evening. 

“Here,” Kyro hands over her favorite icy blue cat mug and she tries not to shiver when his hands brush hers. 

They stay there in companionable silence as she sips, him leaning back against the counter top, her across from him, hunched forward over her mug. She considers what she wants to do next.

_ So much, I want so much. _ Clove bites her lip, scanning Kyro’s body shyly. He’s more dressed than usual, wearing a pair of grey sweatpants that ride low on his hips and a ribbed white tank top. His hair has grown longer than he usually wears it, curling softly at his jaw and his eyes are like liquid pools of gold. Clove has never seen eyes as beautiful as his. 

The thing is, he’s staring right back at her and Clove can  _ feel _ the tension in the air, it’s delicious, her skin is humming with it, and before she wouldn’t have said a word, she would have pretended nothing was there, she would have! But God, she wants- she  _ wants _ -

Without a word, she sets the mug down, hops off the counter, and takes one step across their narrow kitchen to stand directly in front of Kyro. He doesn’t move back, but he also doesn’t move forward. His eyes track hers and he inhales slightly when her right hand stretches forward to finger the space between his sweatpants and shirt.

“Clove, what are you doing?” She smiles at the strain in his voice, like he needs her too, but he won’t say it. Her hand continues to move, up from his hipbone to the curve of his shoulder until her fingers are resting loosely at the base of his head, pulling him down to her level.

“I’m not doing anything I haven’t wanted to do for a long time,” she replies simply, smile widening when he widens his stance to let her come forward and rest between his legs. 

Clove tugs on his hair lightly, looking pointedly at Kyro’s lips.  _ Are you sure _ , his eyes seem to say, and the thing is- Clove has never been more sure in her life that this is what she wants.

All the months of fighting, of trying to make it work, of feeling lonely and rejected melt away when Kyro presses his lips to hers. Slowly at first, searching and then harder when she opens her mouth to his and tugs harder on his hair. His hands are moving everywhere, from her hips to her hair to her back, pulling her into his body and  _ god his abs are everything I’ve ever dreamed of _ -

They’re moving, Kyro is walking her back, cornering her against the kitchen counter, fisting his hands in her red locks and Clove relishes the feeling of being wanted back for once. 

She smiles into the kiss, her tongue exploring Kyro’s mouth, heart seizing at the contented sigh Kyro makes. She wants to hear him make that noise several times over. As he holds her against the counter, the passionate kissing begins to cool off, turning into languid making out. It’s nice but… God, six months is a long time, and she wants more. 

Kyro’s teeth find the crook of her neck and lave at the juncture, intensifying the ache between her legs and, “Mm, bed, now”, Clove manages to get out, rolling her hips forward to get her point across. She feels him harden against her hip, and grins stupidly to herself.  _ I did that _ . 

Kyro’s hands are on her ass, cupping it to lift her so her legs are wrapped around his waist and he’s supporting her as he walks swiftly across their apartment towards-

“My place or yours?” It would be funny any other time but Clove is so acutely horny and his voice sounds as wrecked as he looks, so all Clove can say is,

  
“Don’t care just-” punctuated with kisses “get- me- there!”

They wind up sprawled across his mattress, Clove underneath him wriggling to get out of her aqua tank top and striped sleep shorts. Kyro’s undressing too, first taking off his tank top and then slowly, teasingly removing his sweatpants- going so slow that Clove swears she might go insane if he moves any slower- and finally, finally they are both naked.

He’s staring at her, taking her body in, looking like he’s in shock and Clove laughs breathlessly. 

“You know you can touch, right?” That’s all it takes, he snaps out of it, hands flying to her thighs, parting her legs and bringing his head down to lick a stripe up to her inner thigh towards her center. 

Clove moans excitedly, already dripping as she feels his breath hot against her core. She keens her hips forward, fingers fisting the sheets beside her, gritting her teeth in frustration as he continues to lick and nip every inch of her thighs, lower stomach, hips- everywhere but where she wants him most. She’s about to grab his head and shove him closer when he looks up, desire in his gaze, and pointedly drops his mouth to lick slowly up her pussy.

“Do you like that, sweetness?” Clove nods her head feverishly, bucking forward again, anything to get closer to his mouth-

Kyro pulls away, smirking, “I can’t hear you. What was that?” And Clove cries out in desperation.

“I want you- all of you, please, please just give me what I want,” and that must be the right answer because Kyro is back, tongue licking slow, steady stripes against her, right hand clasping her hip down and left hand reaching up to cup her breast.

His fingers tug at her nipple, pinching it and rolling it as his tongue presses insistently against her clit, circling it and sucking her in lightly and then harder. Clove knows she’s a mess now, can’t stop calling out words, calling him  _ baby  _ and  _ love _ and begging for more, but she’s never been more turned on in her life than she is right now, having Kyro reach under her hips and angle her closer so he can get his tongue as deep into her as possible. 

“More!” She cries out, her pussy throbbing, aching to be filled, and mercifully Kyro’s hand leaves her hip. He slides one finger in at first, easing into her and curling upwards in search of that perfect bundle of nerves. It takes two fingers and a little bit of time, but soon Clove is pushing back into his hands, fucking his fingers and cursing at how good he feels. She peels her eyes open, taking in his swollen lips and glazed eyes, and whimpers. She catches his attention and “please, I want you inside me, can I have that baby?”, he’s moving away and pulling open the bedside drawers to grab a condom and lube. 

She pushes herself up against the headboard and before he puts the condom on, she grabs his dick, giving it a few experimental strokes. He groans, watching her feverishly as she tugs harder, pre-cum leaking onto her tiny fist. When he starts fucking into her hand she pulls away, satisfied that he’s ready, and waits for him to put the condom on. He lubes up and squirts a little extra to spread against her pussy, before crawling back on top of her.

He angles himself so that he can make eye contact with her and asks softly “is this ok,” watching for her impatient nod “yes” before lining himself up with her pussy and sliding in slowly. It’s been six months of celibacy and she is  _ so tight _ around him, so warm and wet. Kyro never wants this to end. He begins to pick up the pace, establishing a rhythm, one hand against the headboard for leverage and the other one on the mattress next to her face. 

She’s moaning quietly, eyes wet, smiling wildly as he presses into her over and over and she pulls his face down so she can capture his lips in a kiss. It’s been a while for him too, hard to hook up when you’re halfway in love with your roommate, and he feels himself getting closer.

“Is it ok if I finish in you?” He manages to get out and “yes, baby,” moments later he’s coming, face pressed into her shoulder, toes curling, and he lets out a moan before burying his nose into her neck. 

*

*

*

Afterwards they lay in bed, sheets a sweaty mess at their feet, contemplating Indian food.

“I miss nan the most,” Clove admits, face buried in Kyro’s chest. 

“We could always try making some,” Kyro offers, laughing when Clove swats his chest in dismay.

“Who’s “we”? You know I can’t cook for shit!” 

“Mm, you’re right, don’t want to start a fire in the middle of a pandemic. There’s enough shit happening right now,” Kyro tightens his arm around Clove reflexively, sobering slightly at the reminder of the shitstorm that is their world.

“Yeah, probably not the move. But uh… this definitely was the move,” Clove bites her lip, pushing herself up slightly so she can look Kyro directly in the eye as she speaks. Awkward as their timing may be, she can’t help but feel relieved that she can finally be open about how she feels.

“Good to know sweetheart. Wasn’t sure if this was a one-time thing or not,” and hearing him say that hurts her heart. She readjusts herself so she’s sitting squarely on top of him, one hand splayed across his chest and the other one tilting his chin to command his full attention.

“Ky, don’t be silly. I know the timing is unfortunate, but this isn’t a sudden realization for me. I’ve known for a while how I feel about you, but I didn’t want to act on anything while Aaron and I were still trying to make things work. It wouldn’t have been fair.”

Kyro swallows, his nerves dissipating at her confession. 

“Yeah? Not gonna back out on me and find a new roommate to quarantine with?” He attempts to joke and fails miserably, voice heavier than he intended.

“Looks like you’re stuck with me for the foreseeable future,” Clove states lightly- and it’s a statement, no question mark at the end, possibly even a declaration if you squint. 

In one fluid motion Kyro flips Clove so she’s beneath him, caging her in with his forearms and attacking her face with kisses.  _ Mine _ , he whispers into her hair, her cheeks, her collarbone. Clove lets herself be adored, and thinks back to Aaron’s last words on the phone with her.

“Clove, this isn’t working anymore and we both know it. Just… I want you to be happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. And if he makes you happier than me, I think you should go for it.” 

  
  



End file.
